Only you
by Brainbean
Summary: all grown up, Madeline returns to her childhood home. what has changed. and more importantly, where is Pepito?


**ONLY YOU**

In an old house in Paris

that was colvered in vines

lived twelve older girls in two straight lines

the smallest one was Madeline

The young woman turned the page of the photo album and gazed at the younger faces of her friends. She still kept in regular contact with Danielle and Nicole and she often saw Chloe. The other eight girls she saw at their yearly Christmas party. It had been two years since their beloved Miss Clavel had passed away and Madeline gazed fondly at the picture of the older woman.  
She had taught the girls well, they had all grown into talented young women, some were married, all to handsome and succesful men and some, including Madeline, were continuing their studies at university. Madeline turned the page to a large photo of that wonderful old house and was filled with the longing to see it again. After Miss Clavel had died, she hadn't been back to the house and she hadn't realised how much she had missed it. She locked the door of her apartment and stepped into her tiny red car, zooming towards her favourite place in the world.

The first thing Madeline noticed when she pulled up to the house was the many cars parked in the enormous circular driveway. The next thing she saw was the sign. Schoolhouse bed and breakfast, since when was the house a B&B? Thought Madeline as she walked up to the door. The familiar vines were still there although they seemed in better condition and the windows had been repainted so that the paint was no longer peeling, but otherwise the old house was exactly the same.  
The door was wide open so Madeline walked straight in, mouth open taking in the sight.  
The entrance hall was the same except that beside the staircase was a desk with a computer, a bell and a sign saying "reception" she headed towards the stairs but the sound of a door opening stopped her and a male voice asked "May I help you" the voice was familiar but not.  
Madeline turned to face the man. The sunlight was streaming through the door behind him so she coudln't see his face.  
"Sorry" she said "i...i used to know the woman who lived in this house. I just wanted to see it again."  
"ah, Miss Clavel." the man said the name fondly.  
"you knew her?"  
"we were quite well aquainted yes" the man narrowed his eyes at her, studying her face. "would you like a tour of the old house? I could tell you about the days when it was a school"  
Madeline didn't say that she lived here when it was a school. She nodded and followed the man back through the lobby and around the house. They had reached the garden and Madeline looked over the fence to see the house next door. The home of her former best friend. A question formed on her lips.  
"Who lives there? I heard it belongs to the Spanish embassador."  
"He moved out last year, was assigned a post in London. I live there now."his phone rang. "excuse me," he said to Madeline before taking the call  
"Hola... Ah, Chloe..." his conversation continued for a while before he hung up and smiled at her but Madeline frowned at the man. He was always positioned so that she could't quite see his face and yet his voice was so familiar. It couldn't be could it? He spoke to someone called Chloe, a coincedence? Or her friend? After all these years and a vow to never see him again was it really Pepito?  
"i have to go" she whispered and turned around. He tried to stop her.  
"Madeli...Mademoiselle, wait." he caught himself but not before she heared it.  
"Oh my God it is you." she gasped when he came into the light. Pepito's black hair was cut short and was sticking out at odd angles as if he had been running his fingers through it. His dark eyes gleamed with that familiar mischif although she could see sadness there too. His skin was tanned and Madeline realised that he was absolutly the most handsome man she had ever set eyes upon. She regained her composure and took a defensive posture, arms crossed with an accusing look on her face.  
"what are you doing here Pepito." she glared at him.  
"What do you mean? I own this place. And i live next door, i have every right to be here." he sounded hurt and Madeline tried to supress her guilt.  
"You _own_ Miss Clavels house?" she cried  
"Sure, my Papa and i bought it and turned it into this." he gestured around before changing subject. "Its good to see you again Madeline." he reached out to touch her hand but she jerked away.  
"i wish i could say the same" she said bitterly.  
"Madeline" there was so much sadness in his voice and she started to cry.  
"Why did you do it? Why did you laugh?" she sobbed. Madeline was refering to the incident six years ago.

The two of them had been best friends for longer than they could remember. Now, sixteen Madeline felt things changing for her. She couldn't stand to be apart from him and she knew that she was hoplessly in love. Always so brave, she went to Pepito's house to tell him in the hope that they could be more than friends. But when she got to his room she found him with a taller, prettier young woman. They were holding hands and sitting on his bed. Just talking but she could see something in the other girls eyes.  
She cried and ran out of the room. Followed by Pepito. Out in the garden he caught up to her. She screamed at him, accused him of being with the other girl and then told him that she loved him and he laughed. He laughed. Before he could say anything else she slapped him and left. Hadn't spoken to him since. Broke her own heart.

"Madeline," he said again, softer and kinder, he took her hand and this time she didn't jerk back. "my parents always wanted me to marry a beautiful, wealthy girl, the child of a noble man. They had friends in paris with daughters my age and they wanted me to get to know them. Yvette was her name, she joined us for lunch and while our parents gossiped away, we escaped to my room. I told her i had never been so in love with anyone. And then you walked in."  
Madeline didn't know if she wanted to hear this but Pepito continued.  
"i followed you into the garden where you told me you loved me and i laughed." he sighed. "and then you left me, confused and a little upset. I returned to Yvette and i told my parents i was in love. They were so happy. But you never spoke to me again. And i didn't get to tell you."  
"what," Madelines voice broke "that you and Yvette are married, living in that house, running the hotel together?"  
"no Madeline." he wiped a tear from her cheek. "the reason i laughed."  
"well?" she looked up at him.  
"Madeline, when i told Yvette that i was in love, i didn't mean with her."  
"y...you didn't" "no litte girl," using the name he had called her for so many years. "you. Only you. Thats all it has ever been and when you told me you loved me i was so happy that i laughed. I didn't know that you would take it the wrong way. But i told my parents that they could show me all the girls in Paris but that it would only ever be you that i could be with. But you never spoke to me again. Madeline, you broke my heart."  
"oh Pepito." Madeline burst into tears again. "Six years and you never said anything. I'm sorry for misunderstanding but..." she trailed off when his lips met hers. Just for a second and then he broke away and Madeline closed her eyes, filled with happiness that Pepito loved her.  
"are you single?" he asked her and she nodded. He drew out a tissue and wiped the tears from her eyes. Then he took her hand and led her to the grass. He set her down on the garden chair and knelt down.  
"Pepito?" Madeline began but Pepito put a finger to her lips.  
"Madeline, we haven't seen eachother in six years. We have both changed a lot but i know that i love you and i want you to be my wife. Lets start again. If you want to, that is." and Madeline laughed. Shocked, Pepito stood.  
"oh Pepito, what a positively stupid question!"  
"what?" he looked so sad and hurt.  
"oh Pepito," she laughed at him again. "the look on your face! Of course i will marry you. I wanted to marry you since i was a little girl!"  
"you have?" his expression now a mixture of joy and Madeline smiled and she kissed him again, more passionalty this time.  
"c'mon," she said after a while, "tell me about your self, we have a lot of catching up to do!"

And thats all there is there isn't anymore!

**Read and review please, constructive criticism welcome! **


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